Mobile Phone Contract

On average, more than ninety percent of people own and use a mobile phone. However, it is the choice of the right tariff that is the difficult part. Apart from those on pay as you go tariffs, chances are that many pay over the odds for their tariff. This is especially true for those who have deals for unlimited calls and texts which often go unused.

One of the most important things to decide when choosing a mobile phone contract is the type of handset. Those who want the latest smartphones should be prepared to pay up to 50 pounds every month for tariffs that have unlimited texts, minutes and data. Those who do not care much for the version, age or model of their handsets could, for instance, take out the old iPhone 4s with up to 500 minutes and unlimited texts for about 17 pounds. The difference here is huge. Many people find themselves stuck in contracts that offer an attractive prospect of unlimited calls and texts that they very rarely use. The second option, for instance, has much fewer minutes, but is definitely a better deal.

According to research, more than a half of mobile phone users tend to pay more for their contracts than they need to in the UK market. In effect, majority of people waste up to 150 pounds on minutes and text allowances that they do not need or use every year. The only way to change this is to choose a tariff that caters exactly for what one needs. For instance, those who require a large text allowance but to not typically make too many calls or use data should look for plans that match the specificity of their needs. To match the right contract with their needs, users should out the exact cause of the waste in their contracts, and there are many sites available for that.

Such sites analyze phone bills, checking their online billing and telling them how much they could save if they switched to other, more useful tariffs. One simply enters their mobile phone number and online billing account details, the website will go through one’s bills and mail them a snapshot of their potential savings.

Even with such recommendations, though, changing does not necessarily mean having to switch service providers. Those nearing the ends of their contracts might want to consider asking their carriers for better deals. Sometimes, threatening to leave might give customers the bargaining power with which they could always bargain for a cheaper contract, especially if other service providers offer a better deal.

Ultimately, though, the choice of provider has been known to make a huge difference. Price is not everything when choosing a contract. Other factors that affect the value for money include customer service and reception. Surveys in the past have shown large disparities among service providers in terms of customer satisfaction based on these and other factors. In one of the past surveys, for instance, O2 was one of the highest performing, while T-Mobile and Orange performed the worst. Given the amounts people pay, it is only right that they receive a satisfactory level of service.